Valentine's Day Ideas: Plans, Gifts and What to Write

Valentine's Day ideas that don't feel like a set menu

Valentine's Day gets a bad name because most of it is sold to us: the overpriced set menu, the roses that cost triple on the 14th, the card that says nothing. Strip that out and what's left is one evening a year set aside to make a fuss of someone, which is not a bad idea at all.

The plans below split by budget and by how long you've been together, because a first Valentine's and a fifteenth Valentine's are completely different jobs.

We make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK, so everything below is a straight guide to the day - plus the card that goes with it.

The card that goes with it

Valentine's cards designed in house and printed in the UK - funny, rude or straight.

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Plans that beat a restaurant booking

  • Cook the meal you had on an early date, badly, on purpose. It is funnier and cheaper than the set menu.
  • Book a weekday instead. The 13th or the 15th is the same evening at half the price and a quarter of the noise.
  • A walk somewhere with a view and a flask, then the pub. Works in February if you both own a coat.
  • Breakfast in bed and an early night, if you have kids and the evening is already spoken for.
  • Tickets to something in March. The gift is the thing to look forward to, not the day itself.
  • Long distance: order each other a takeaway to the right address and eat it on a video call.

Gifts by budget

  • Under £10: a card that actually says something, their favourite chocolate bar, or a pin badge as a private joke.
  • £10 to £25: a print for the wall, a good candle, a book you've annotated, or the ingredients for the meal you're cooking.
  • £25 to £50: a nice bottle, a photo print framed, a piece of jewellery that isn't a heart, or a booked experience.
  • £50 and up: a night away in March, when hotels cost normal money again.
  • No money at all: a written list of things you'd have missed if you'd never met them. It beats every item above.

First Valentine's versus the fifteenth

  • New couple: keep it light. One card, one small gift, one plan. Going big too early is more awkward than going small.
  • A year or two in: this is when effort matters most - something that shows you've been listening rather than shopping.
  • Long-term: swap the gift for time. A booked evening with no phones beats another candle.
  • Married with kids: the babysitter is the gift. Sort that first, decide the plan after.
  • Going through a rough patch: a plain card saying you're glad they're here does more than a present does.

What to write in a Valentine's card

  • Still you. Still glad. Happy Valentine's Day.
  • I'd choose the same again, every time.
  • Thank you for the ordinary days - they're my favourite part.
  • You're my best decision. Happy Valentine's Day.
  • Happy Valentine's Day to the only person I'd share a duvet with.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Book anything you're booking in January - the 14th sells out earlier than people expect.
  • Write the card before you buy the gift. If the card is hard to write, the gift is probably wrong.
  • Skip roses on the day itself and buy them on the 12th, or buy something else entirely.
  • Agree a budget out loud. Mismatched spending is the actual cause of most Valentine's arguments.

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Frequently asked questions

How much should you spend on Valentine's Day in the UK?

Most people spend £20 to £50 including the card and a meal. New couples usually keep it under £25, and long-term couples often spend more on the plan than the present.

Is it too soon to give a Valentine's card?

If you've been seeing each other a few weeks, a card is fine - it's the big gift that feels heavy. Keep the wording warm rather than declaring anything.

What can you do on Valentine's Day that's free?

Cook at home, walk somewhere with a view, write a list of things you love about them, or plan the year's one big trip together over a pot of tea.

When should I post a Valentine's card?

Post by the 11th for first class, earlier if the 14th falls near a weekend. February is a heavy post week and cards routinely arrive late.

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